Conservative activist Jeff Crank won the Republican nomination for a Colorado Springs-based congressional seat over Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams Tuesday night.
Crank had 46,317 votes, or 67% of the total, to 22,387 votes for Williams, or 33%, in results posted to the Colorado secretary of state’s website as of 8:55 p.m. The Associated Press called the race for Crank at about 8:20 p.m. The candidates were competing for the nomination to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn in the 5th Congressional District in a bruising primary race that highlighted deepening rifts in the GOP.
In the Democratic primary, River Gassen narrowly defeated Joe Reagan. She had 20,717 votes, or 50.6%, to Reagan’s 20,235 votes, or 49.4% of the total, as of Wednesday afternoon. The Associated Press called that race for Gassen at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday.
RELATED: Primary election results
The winners of the contests will face off in November. The Republican winner will start the general election race with a leg up in the historically conservative district. It’s the first time in nearly 20 years that Lamborn, a Republican who previously beat both Williams and Crank in party primaries, hasn’t sought the seat.
“We have a country to save from Joe Biden’s Open Border Crisis and the failure of Democrats’ economic policy,” Crank said in a statement after the race was called. “… We must unite as a party, elect President Trump, and fight for our country.”
Williams did not immediately return a request for comment after the race had been called.
Crank and Williams largely aligned on policy and politics, but their different approaches underscored the tensions facing the Colorado Republican Party.
Crank, a longtime radio host and vice president with the conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, sought to keep the focus on fighting Democratic priorities and tightening border security and immigration. Williams, the state party chair since early last year, cast himself as a no-holds-barred conservative ready to fight even fellow Republicans.
Williams’ hardline stances as party chair led to outrage among some Republicans across the state. In June, the party sent an email titled “God hates pride” that smeared the LGBTQ+ community. That resulted in widespread condemnation, with some prominent Republicans and county parties calling for Williams’ ouster.
Meanwhile, mailers paid for by the party sought to bolster Williams’ campaign and tear down Crank. A splash ad on the state GOP’s website featured a smiling picture of Williams and former President Donald Trump under the slogan MAGA, while Crank was pictured under the word “globalist.”
It appeared to backfire with some voters, including one who hosted a meet-and-greet with Crank explicitly because they didn’t like party resources going to attack fellow Republicans.
It’s unclear how much party money or resources went to boost Williams. The last federal filing by the party showed nearly $20,000 went to support Williams’ candidacy, though the treasurer for the party and Williams’ campaign said the party wasn’t out any money.
The political action committee for Americans for Prosperity, meanwhile, spent more than $400,000 to attack Williams’ candidacy, though Crank said the group erected a firewall between him and its political side as soon as he announced his candidacy. More than $2.5 million has been spent in that race, most of which was to support Crank or attack Williams, according to Open Secrets.
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Originally Published: June 25, 2024 at 7:51 p.m.
